


A Wild Cry

by PilindielTheElf



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 4: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson), F/M, Gen, Post-The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PilindielTheElf/pseuds/PilindielTheElf
Summary: Waking up one day to find out that the Greek gods were real was the last thing Anci Monroe expected. It wasn’t even something she had considered. To make matters more complicated, it turns out that her father is one of the gods.Anci is brought to Camp Half-Blood, where a community of demigods thrive. She begins her training, meets new friends, and learns of the war against the titan Kronos. Along the way, she is granted a quest, where the possibility of death is higher than it had ever been. But no pressure, right?Set after The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Michael Yew/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 8





	1. Eustace Appreciation Day is Postponed

Anci stood underneath the shade of a tree. The sun had barely risen, and the usually busy streets of New York City were empty. The spring breeze brushed against her hair, tickling her dark skin. She smiled, lifting her head up to face the white, fluffy clouds. One of them looked particularly like a goat. 

The day was April twenty-first, her thirteenth birthday. She was finally a teenager, and the thought delighted her. Her mother wouldn’t be able to tell her what to do anymore. She was old enough to finally make her own decisions. 

Anci pressed the palm of her hand against the tree trunk, feeling a spark of energy. The tree seemed to creak underneath her hand, but the sense was gone in less than a second. She rested her cheek against the rough bark, content that her first order of business was to get out of the stuffy apartment. It had been four months since she and her mother had moved there. Four months since Anci had started public school for the first time. She didn’t pretend that she didn’t miss the rolling fields, the small rivers, or the trees of the countryside, but she really missed it that day. 

“Anci?” Her mother called. “What are you doing outside?” 

She turned to find her mother watching her behind an open window. Their apartment was on the ground level, and it was both a great and terrible thing. “I’m thirteen.” Anci simply put it as if that answered anything. 

“Happy birthday, pumpkin. Now, come inside. It’s not even seven yet.” 

“But I’m thirteen! I want to stay out here!” 

“And I’m thirty-four.” 

“Please?” 

“Oh, alright.” She gave in. “Don’t go off too far.” 

Anci frowned when her mother disappeared inside. She let out a breath, feeling a bit bad. Her mother didn’t deserve her complaints. She was far too good for that. Dorrin Monroe was a hardworking woman, albeit poor. She worked several jobs, and there were always bags under her eyes that not even makeup could hide. 

Backing away from the tree, Anci looked back at the sky to find the goat cloud gone. In its stead was a regular one, boring and unoriginal. It was still beautiful though, and Anci stood there for a moment longer before moving. 

The apartment was small and cramped with only two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a main room that doubled as the kitchen. If she was to stand in the center of her room, Anci could reach both walls with her hands, and she wasn’t that tall to begin with. Her bed took up most of the space, and her bedside table barely made it in. Luckily, she didn’t have many things. Just her textbooks and a scrapbook or two. Besides, it was cozy that way. New York was cold in the winter, and her old room in the countryside had been far too big for warm air to stay in one place. 

“Mama, what time will you be home from work?” Anci asked. She opened the fridge, which was emptier than usual. 

“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t know, pumpkin. I’m sorry.” 

Anci smiled at her mother, pushing down the disappointment that rose up. “Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s alright. I’ll be fine.” 

“Maybe you can invite Eustace over tonight,” she suggested. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to.” 

Eustace was Anci’s best friend. Her first and only friend for that matter. She had never been much of a person to go out of her way to meet people, and that made school hard. Then, Eustace came along one day. Naturally, they gravitated towards each other as they were both new students. But as time passed on, Anci found that they had more in common than she had originally thought. 

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” she said. “Thanks.” 

Anci picked out an apple, crunching into it as she pulled out a chair. Sitting, she looked out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her mother pack up her things for work. Anci glanced at the time, chewing quietly. She would have to get ready herself soon. 

Her mother suddenly sighed loudly. Anci swung her head over at her, blinking when she pulled out a neatly wrapped package. “Mama?” 

“I was going to wait,” she explained, “but seeing as I don’t know when I’m getting back, I suppose I might as well give it to you now.” 

Her throat went dry, and Anci gingerly took the package. Her fingers brushed against the green wrapping paper. “Oh, Mama,” she whispered. Anci looked up. “You didn’t have to. You should have saved the money for something more important.” 

Her mother shook her head, wrapping her arms around Anci. She pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re the most important thing I have, pumpkin. Happy birthday.” 

Anci leaned into her embrace, squeezing her eyes shut. She felt a lone tear run down her face. “Can I open it?” she asked softly. 

“Of course! I didn’t give it to you for you to look at.” 

She didn’t waste another second, tearing open the package. Anci gasped when she wrangled the gift free, and she held it up in the light. It was a leatherbound scrapbook. A great tree was pressed into the cover, and her name was embroidered on it. 

_Althaea Monroe._

The text was so fancy Anci couldn’t read what was printed underneath it. Her dyslexia didn’t help it. She looked at her mother, questionly. “What does it say?” 

“I’ll leave that for you to figure out,” she laughed. “Do you like it?” 

“I love it. Thank you.” 

Her mother smiled, and she stood up. She slung her bag over her shoulder. “I should get going, now,” she said. “Have a good day at school.” 

Anci clutched the scrapbook to her chest. She gulped as her mother opened the front door. She hesitated. “Mama?” 

“Pumpkin?” 

“What am I supposed to put in here?” she asked. 

“What do you mean?” Her mother frowned. “I thought you said your other books were filled.” 

“They are,” Anci whispered. “But we don’t live… _there_ , anymore. There’s nothing here to—” She paused. “Nevermind,” she said. “I’ll figure something out. You should leave. I don’t want to be the reason you’re late.” 

Her mother held her gaze for a moment before nodding. “I love you, Anci.” 

Anci watched her mother leave. “I love you, too,” she said. 

The rest of the morning went by with a blur, and Anci settled into the monotonous routine that had taken up her life. She stuffed her journals into her backpack and tossed out a stack of papers. There was probably nothing important in them. 

Glancing at her new scrapbook, Anci slowed. She picked it up again, her fingertips tracing over the intricate design. She squinted at the words, but still, she couldn’t seem to decipher them. 

A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts, and Anci quickly shoved the book into her bag. She tripped over herself as she threw herself onto the door. Laughter bubbled from her throat as she flung it open. 

Eustace met her with a raised eyebrow. He looked down at her, a good head taller. The corner of his lip quirked up, and he smirked. “What is this?” he said. “Eustace appreciation day? I love the hustle.” 

“Ha, ha,” Anci snorted. She closed the door behind her. “You wish. Clearly, it must be Anci appreciation day. I mean, come on. I get my own bodyguard.” 

“Yeah? Who?” 

Anci shot him a pointed look, rolling her eyes. “He’s a bit clunky and oblivious, so I don’t know if you’d want to meet him.” 

“Hey!” 

“What?” 

“I’m not clunky! Or oblivious!” 

“Your words have been heard and will duly be ignored.” 

“That’s not fair!” Eustace protested. 

“Sorry, birthday powers.” Anci shrugged. She led the way down the street. “Not my rules.” 

“How come I didn’t get birthday powers on my birthday?” Eustace asked, bouncing forward to catch up. 

“Cause you’re not me. That must suck.” 

“I’d pay not to be you,” Eustace said. “Eustace appreciation day is about me.” 

Anci laughed. She bumped playfully into his shoulder. “Race you to the park?” she said. “Last one there has to do what the other wants the whole day.” 

“You know I’m not as fast as you!” 

“Ready? Go!” 

Anci bolted forward, grinning as Eustace shouted after her. The wind blew through her hair, and it felt like flying. The feeling ended all too soon, and Anci slid to a stop at the entrance to Central Park. She looked up at all the trees, the grass that huddled next to the sidewalk. Of all the places she had come across in New York City, Central Park was what reminded her most of home. 

She smiled as she walked in, twirling around. She spread her arms out, and tilted her chin up to face the sky. The sun was finally in the sky, and all the clouds had disappeared. The blue color of the sky stretched as far as the eye could see and farther. Anci closed her eyes and breathed in the air. 

The familiar clicking sound of Eustace’s footsteps drifted into her ear, and she spun around. She stuck her tongue out at him as he stopped to catch his breath, hands on his knees. “Game over,” she said. “I want a smoothie.” 

“This early in the morning?” 

“Are you telling me you _don’t_ want a smoothie?” 

“We’re getting smoothies,” he quickly said. “The usual?” 

“Duh.” 

Eustace chuckled, and they began to walk in a comfortable silence. The city was beginning to wake up, and noise started filling up the air on the streets. But there in Central Park, the chaotic nature of the city had yet to taint the whistling trees. The sound of water was clear in her ears, and the birds sang in beautiful harmonies. And of course, there was the everlasting tapping sound of Eustace walking. 

Anci glanced down at his shoes. She inclined her head, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her overalls. “I still don’t know how you do that,” she said. “Are you sure you aren’t a tap dancer?” 

“One thousand percent sure,” Eustace said, looking down. He seemed to tense, but Anci barely noticed it. She bent down to look at his shoes. 

“You sure?” 

“Very.” Eustace cleared his throat. “So what do you say about ice cream?” 

“I thought we were getting smoothies.” 

“Right.” 

Standing, Anci studied Eustace closely. He squirmed underneath her stare, and she frowned. “Are you okay?” 

“Yes,” he said a little too quickly. “Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Whatever you say,” Anci muttered. She decided to drop the subject. 

They went quiet again, but this time, Anci could tell that something was bothering Eustace. She frowned, glancing at him. She didn’t say anything though, knowing that he wouldn’t give in. Of course, she could just use her birthday powers, but it felt wrong to force the answer out of him. 

Anci was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the third pair of footsteps that began following them. Poor Eustace didn’t seem to hear them either, chewing nervously on his lip. And when she did, it was too late. 

Freezing in her tracks, Anci perked up. Her ears twitched, and she turned her head to look over her shoulder. And before she could say anything, the wind was knocked out of her, and Anci flew backwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we goooo! This is my first PJO fanfiction, and I am super excited. I haven't seen much fanfiction in this fandom where the main character is an OC, so let this be one of those rarities(though I'm sure I'm not looking hard enough). Chapter updates will be completely random, but I like to think that I'll post at least once a week. Now that I say that, I will have jinxed it, but we shall see. Also, thank you for reading! You guys are amazing. <3


	2. Anci is Almost Swallowed Whole

The air returned to Anci’s lungs just as fast as she lost it. Landing on her side, a loud pop hissed in her ear. She gritted her teeth, and a gasp escaped her. It didn’t sound too good. 

Her whole body decided to shut down, powering off like a malfunctioned computer. She was a blue screen, error codes blinking in her failing brain. The only thing she knew was pain. Hard, steep pain. And panic, but that came in the form of more pain. 

“Anci!” Eustace was immediately by her side. “Are you okay?” 

Anci groaned, squeezing his hand. Her eyes screwed shut. His words were a blur, incoherent gibberish that rose and fell in pitch. She barely managed to say his name. “Eustace.” 

If Eustace said anything else, Anci didn’t know. Her vision went in and out of focus, and her heartbeat was a loud bell. It was a ticking clock, meticulously sharp and clear-cut. She leaned forward, curling into a ball. 

“Oh my! Are you alright, child? What happened? Oh, gracious me!” 

The fog cleared at the songlike voice. Anci lifted her head. The pain subsided, reduced to little shocks as if nothing happened. She blinked. She pushed herself up onto her feet, steadying herself against Eustace. She swallowed as confusion made its way into her body. 

Anci looked at Eustace first, meeting his eyes. Breathless, she forced a smile and nodded. When he smiled back, she turned to face whoever had pushed her. But there was no one. 

Only a wide sidewalk. 

“What happened?” she whispered. “Who pushed me?” 

Eustace looked at her weirdly. “What are you talking about?” he said. “No one pushed you. You fell.” 

“No.” Anci shook her head. She frowned. “Someone definitely pushed me. Didn’t you hear their footsteps?” 

Eustace chewed on his lip. “No,” he said. 

“Are you alright?” There was the voice again, silvery and soft like a mother’s love. “That was a nasty fall you had there!” 

Anci spun on her heels, subconsciously touching her shoulder. It was still dislocated. She faced the woman, and instantly, a gasp was caught in her throat. 

The woman—she was beautiful. Sophisticated and sleek like a swan. Her eyes were spectacular gemstones, reflecting the light of the sun like a mirror. There was a sheen to her silky hair; it was as if the light of the moon was able to weave itself into existence. It was pinned up into a tight bun, but still, strands were able to snake down to her hip. 

She hurried over, her dress flowy in the wind. She pressed a hand to Anci’s forehead. “What’s your name, child?” 

Anci didn’t hesitate. “It’s Anci, ma’am. Your dress is uh…” She stared. 

The woman looked down at herself. A scarlet blush tinged her cheeks. “Ah, I knew it was a bit much. You see, I told my—” 

“No!” Anci quickly said. “No, it’s—it’s stunning!” 

“I’m glad you like it, dear,” she said before gasping. “Oh my goodness! Your arm!” 

Anci looked at her twisted shoulder. It was severely out of place, but it didn’t hurt. It felt so normal. “It’s fine. I’m not hurt.” 

“Nonsense!” The woman took her other arm, wrapping a hand around Anci’s wrist. “You need a doctor. I’ll take you!” 

“No thank you, ma’am,” Eustace said. He grabbed Anci’s good shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll be okay.” 

“Oh, but just to be safe. That shoulder looks terrible.” 

“Our school nurse can take a look at her.” Eustace smiled politely. “That way, we won’t be late for class.” 

“My, such good students!” The woman laughed. “But I’m sure your absences will be excused. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” 

“It’s just one class, Eustace,” Anci said. “It wouldn’t hurt to visit a doctor.” 

“But—” 

“You should listen to your friend,” the woman softly chided. “She knows best.” 

She began to drag Anci away, but Eustace wasn’t having it. He tightened his grip on her, his smile gone. Still, he had a pleasant tone. “She’s in shock, ma’am. She’s not thinking straight.” 

Anci glared at him. “Eustace!” 

“Well, that’s more reason to see a doctor, isn’t it?” 

“I’m sure you have other places to be today. I’ll take her!” 

“No, I insist! What kind of person would I be to not help a child?” 

“You’ve already helped us enough, ma’am.” 

“No such thing as too much help!” There was an edge to her voice now, subtle and suppressed. “Come along, Anci dear. We shouldn’t dally.” 

Anci looked at Eustace. She smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay,” she said. “You should head on to class. I’ll catch up.” 

“No!” Eustace gasped. “I’ll—I’ll come with you.” 

“But then we’ll both miss class.” Anci frowned. “I’ll be fine, Eustace. Seriously.” 

Nodding at the woman, Anci started to walk away. She let out a breath of relief when Eustace didn’t trail after them. She smiled. “So what should I call you, ma’am?” 

“My name is Belinda.” 

“Thank you for your help, Miss Belinda.” 

“Not a problem!” 

Before anyone could say anything else, a loud trill sounded. Both Anci and Belinda jumped, turning to find Eustace with a reed pipe. His face was red, and the contents of his backpack lay at his feet. 

He played a lively tune, and Anci had to laugh. The music drifted to the sky, and the surrounding plants took it in like water. The trees creaked, and Anci could have sworn that they were growing. 

And they were, slowly but surely. Small leaves sprouted at the end of the lengthened branches as the saplings of newer trees shot up to the sky. Anci gasped, her chin tilted upwards to watch it all. She was reminded of all the time lapses she would see online of nature over a span of several years. Never had she thought she would witness it in person and in a few minutes. It was beautiful; nature was beautiful. 

“How?” she whispered. “Eustace?” 

He didn’t stop playing, shooting her a desperate look. Belinda started moving again, and she dragged Anci behind. 

“Wait!” Anci pulled back, but Belinda’s grip only tightened. Anci blinked. “Um… can you let me go?” 

“No!” came the swift response. Belinda immediately repeated the word, softer. Quieter. “No. We should go.” 

Anci straightened up, clenching her jaw. Her eyes narrowed. “No thank you.” 

Then, Belinda’s short fingernails grew long and slender. They dug into Anci’s skin, and she yelped in surprise. Blood dribbled down her hand, hitting the sidewalk. 

“I think you need to rethink your answer in time-out,” Belinda hissed. “Come along, child.” 

Her voice was venom, poison strong enough to put Anci to sleep. And not in a good way. When Anci looked closer, she found that her teeth were sharp. Too sharp. There was a small fork in her tongue. And… 

Anci looked down. What she had thought was the prettiest dress in the world was a long, serpentine tail. The jewels were scales, iridescent scales that needed no light to shine. Yet, dark they were, shadowy. Deep green, almost black. She was a snake. 

Belinda was a snake. A half-snake. 

Anci froze in place, her jaw dropping down. Her eyes rounded into saucers, and she didn’t fight back when she pulled her away. That was when the pain came back. 

It crashed down like a wave, swallowing her up. Her arm felt like it was about to fall off, and it burned. If it weren’t for Belinda’s iron grip, she would have collapsed. 

Anci shut her eyes, breathing hard. Her breaths couldn’t come fast enough, always too slow. Always too little. 

She felt Belinda’s hot breath on her neck, her teeth less than an inch away. Her eyes flashed open, and Anci couldn’t stop the tears. But she couldn’t move. Paralyzed. 

Belinda’s mouth opened, and it kept getting bigger. And bigger. She was going to swallow her whole. She was going to eat her. 

Only when Anci heard Eustace’s music did her brain decide to work. She screamed, voice raw like the strings of an unplayed violin. Everything stopped. 

The music, Eustace, Belinda, everything stopped. 

Anci ripped herself away from Belinda, stumbling back. She clutched her arm as she fell onto her knees. “Eustace,” she whimpered. 

His eyes cleared as he snapped out of his trance, and he sprinted towards her. Eustace wrapped his arms around her torso. He dragged her back. “You okay?” 

“I’m—ow!” 

Her shoulder clicked back into place, and Anci glared at Eustace, who sheepishly raised his hands. “Sorry,” he muttered. 

“A warning would have been nice.” 

“I said sorry!” 

“Well I—watch out!” 

Anci watched in horror as Eustace was tackled to the ground. Belinda skillfully strangled him, her mouth dangerously close to his head. “Curse you, satyr!” she shouted. 

Anci spun around frantically. Her heart pounded against her chest. Why was there no one around? They had caused so much ruckus. How much would it take before someone noticed them? 

Huffing in frustration, Anci did the next best thing. She jumped onto Belinda’s back, wrestling her away from Eustace. He collapsed on his back, coughing. 

Belinda twisted her body around, and a wicked smile shone on her lips. She laughed at Anci, taking her into her arms. Anci struggled against her, but this time, she was unable to escape. She opened her mouth to scream as Belinda’s fangs came dangerously close to her eyes. 

She could smell her breath, taste the toxins that dripped off her. Another second, and she would have been in her stomach. 

And right when she thought it was all over, the trees came to her aid. The branches tossed her to the side, and Anci landed on the soft grass. Belinda, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Tree roots burst out of the ground, and they wrapped themselves around her. Instead of one snake, it was like a million. And they quickly overtook her, burying her in the ground in a matter of seconds. 

A note lingered in the air, and Anci turned her head to see Eustace dropping his reed pipe. He looked confused, but it didn’t matter. She was alive. He was alive. They were alive. 

“You just saved my life,” she murmured when he approached her. 

“Are you okay?” he said, pulling her up onto her feet. 

“Yeah. What was she?” 

“Good.” Eustace nodded. He cleared his throat. “Come on. We need to go.” 

“Eustace?” 

“We can’t stay here. I know a place. A safe place. We need to go there.” 

“Eustace!” Anci said again, louder. “What in the world was she?” 

Eustace grabbed her hand. “Come on,” he said, walking at a brisk pace. 

Anci struggled to keep up, and she wiggled herself away. “But your stuff!” She glanced back where all of Eustace’s school work and bag laid. “We can’t leave it!” 

“There’s no time,” he muttered, catching her arm before she could escape. “Come on, Anci,” he begged. “Please.” 

Anci held his eyes in her own, and she bit her lip. She sighed, and took his hand. “Okay.” 

And so they ran. They barely made it out of the park when Anci spoke again. “But what was she, Eustace?” 

His lips thinned, shoulders slumping when he realized she wasn’t going to let it go. “She’s a lamia,” he said. 

“Lamia?” 

“Yes. You know of the old myths right? The Greek ones?” 

“Like Zeus?” 

“Yeah. Like him. The first lamia had an affair with him, and when Lady Hera found out, she cursed her to become a child-eating monster.” 

“You’re telling me it’s all real?” 

Eustace nodded, running around a corner. He brought Anci into an alleyway, letting her go only to fumble around his pockets. 

“But how come I haven’t heard any reports of her attacking other children?” 

“Because she doesn’t target just anyone.” 

“What do the myths say?” 

“In the olden days, mothers used the story to warn their children from causing trouble—” 

“What?” Anci stiffened. “So I’ve caused trouble? Am I a bad daughter?” 

“No! No, of course not!” Eustace quickly said. He grimaced. “Quite the opposite actually.” 

“Then, why? Who do they target?” 

Eustace met her eyes. “They don’t target mortals, Anci. They…” He hesitated, muttering to himself. “They hunt half-bloods.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. I definitely jinxed myself when I said I would try to update frequently. Because I fell into a writing slump during the past two weeks, and it's just my luck that school is just around the corner. 
> 
> But here is chapter two! Anci is a half-blood, which let's be honest. We all knew that going into this. But who the heck is her dad? Predictions in the comments will be gladly accepted, but it won't be revealed for awhile.


	3. Mr. D Just Wants to be Like the Cool Kids

Anci had a lot of questions. She stared at Eustace, who had his back to her, and fiddled with the straps of her backpack. After he had called her a half-blood, he immediately hailed for a cab. Well—Anci looked down at her hands—he didn’t exactly say it outright. But he had implied it. She was a half-blood. Whatever that meant. 

It was a daunting word, half-blood. It sounded like something in one of those fantasy novels her mother used to read. A taunt the villain would use, except Anci was no hero. And Eustace wasn’t a villain. Anci pursed her lip. She wasn’t the villain, was she? She had heard the way Eustace had said the word. It was fear. And now, he refused to look at her. 

Anci squirmed in her seat. She ducked her head when the driver met her eyes through the rearview mirror. She winced at his dubious gaze, looking down at her white socks. Her shoes, caked with mud, were in her backpack. The driver had made a great deal of not wanting mud in the car. Eustace still had his shoes though, but Anci had thought little of it. His shoes must have been cleaner. 

Turning back to look at Eustace, Anci gulped. She watched him, leaning forward to catch a glance at his expression. He must have sensed her because he shifted nervously in his seat. Still, he didn’t look at her. 

Anci’s eyes fluttered up to his hair. It was the same as always, a mop of brown. But now, the longer she looked at it, the more she thought there was something else there. A point. Two points. Anci blinked, rubbing her eyes. When she looked back at Eustace, she found no mistake. They were horns. Her eyes trailed down to his ears. Goat ears. Anci almost peed her pants. How had she not noticed before? 

Was she really that bad of a friend? 

By the time they reached Long Island, Anci had just about had an existential crisis. She barely noticed the cab slowing into a stop, and she definitely didn’t hear the driver telling Eustace the price. She did, however, hear Eustace when he cried in surprise. 

“That can’t be right!” he said. “Your meter must be off. It’s got to be less than that.” 

The driver shook his head. “No.” He crossed his arms. “It’s right.” 

Anci could see the gears turning in Eustace’s head as he did the math in his head. It was the one thing he was good at in school. She frowned when Eustace blinked. “No,” he muttered to himself. “It’s not right.” 

“Are you paying or not?” 

Anci glanced at the price on the meter. Digging through her backpack, she unzipped the secret compartment her mother had sewn. The money was only to be used for emergency situations, and Anci made a note in her head to tell her mother that she had spent it. Anci hesitated when she pulled the money out, stopping her hand midway. 

She grimaced. Her mother had no idea what was happening. She must have heard of her absence at school by now, and Anci had no idea how she would react. She’d never missed class before. 

The driver snatched the money from her hands, and Anci retracted her hand in surprise. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly pushed open the door. The cab sped off as soon as her feet hit the ground, leaving a trail of smoke behind. Anci covered her nose, coughing as she stumbled off the road to put on her shoes. 

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Eustace said, coming up behind her. “He was trying to scam us!” 

Anci shook her head. “Bit late for that,” she said. “Sorry.” She paused, biting down on her lip. She turned. “Are we talking again?” 

“What?” His eyebrows drew together, and he tilted his head to the side. His green eyes flashed in realization. “Ah.” He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “I was thinking. You… were distracting.” 

“Oh.” Anci ran a hand through her hair. She flushed, a smile finding its way to her lips. She grinned. “We’re still friends?” 

“We never stopped.” 

Giggling, Anci looked around. “Where are we?” she said, stepping forward to better read the sign that sat in the distance. A small path led up to it.  _ Delphi Strawberry Service.  _

“This is Camp Half-Blood,” Eustace said. 

There was that word again. Half-blood. Anci frowned, following him deeper in. “So,” she started. “What exactly is a half-blood?” 

Eustace sighed, his hands flying to his face. He cursed in what Anci recognized to be Ancient Greek. Except she didn’t know Ancient Greek. “Sorry. I always forget that I have to explain everything. A halfblood is…” Eustace threw his hands up, his lips forming a thin line. He shook his head. “A half human,” he said. “And half god.” 

Anci froze in her step. Her jaw dropped. “A what?” 

“Half god,” Eustace confirmed. “A demigod.” 

“Like an actual god god,” Anci said. “A  _ god _ .” 

“That’s right.” Eustace nodded. He made a face. “Honestly, I’m as surprised as you are. I didn’t expect you to be one at all.” 

“But a god.” 

“Yeah. Have you ever wondered about your father?” 

Anci frowned. “No,” she said. “I never asked about him. I figured that if he wasn’t around, I shouldn’t waste my time. Besides, I’ve always had my mom. That’s enough for me.” 

Eustace smiled softly at her. They rounded a corner, coming to the field. Anci laughed at the sight. She hadn’t been around real nature in so long. 

There was a tangy scent in the air, probably from the strawberries. They weren’t ripe yet, only pale green in color. Some weren’t even fruit yet, still flowers. A white picket fence surrounded the outskirts. 

Turning back to Eustace, they continued walking. He led her all the way to the back, to a small gate. Anci peered curiously over it. The whinny of a horse made her jump. She looked back at Eustace, wide-eyed. 

“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood,” he said. “Those are the stables. Don’t worry. The pegasi won’t bite.” 

“Pegasi?” 

Eustace grinned. “Wanna see?” 

Anci nodded. Hopping forward, she gasped. There was only one word to describe the winged horses: majestic. Anci wasn’t sure if it even covered all of its splendor. They were beautiful. Their feathered wings were like flags in the low wind, their manes long and silky. 

“Hi!” 

Anci spun around at the cheery voice. She looked down to find a girl, who couldn’t have been older than nine. Her big eyes were bright blue, her face round. There was a contagious aura around her, and Anci laughed when she bent down. “Hello,” she said. 

“This is Issie,” Eustace said. He smiled widely. “Issie, this is Anci. We were about to head up to the Big House. 

Issie gasped. “You’re new, then?” she said, squealing. “Cool!” 

“Yeah,” Anci said. “Are you a demigod too?” 

Issie nodded. “My father’s Dionysus. He likes to be called Mr. D. He says it makes him sound slick and cool.” 

“Mr. D?” Anci repeated slowly. She glanced at Eustace, who shrugged. 

“Uh huh,” Issie continued. “I think it makes him sound stupid. Not as stupid as Dionysus though.” 

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Eustace quickly said. He glanced warily at a building that Anci assumed was the Big House. 

Issie snorted. “Oh, I’ve told him, but he doesn’t believe me. He thinks I’m trying to sabotage him.” 

“I doubt he would give the rest of us the same mercy,” Eustace said. He let out a breath. “Okay. Come on, Anci. You need to meet Chiron.” 

“That sounds fun! ” Issie jumped up. “I’ll come too.” 

The Big House was painted sky blue, a white trim lining the edges. Wind chimes hung from the eaves, and they danced when the breeze hit. On the roof, a bronze weathervane spun into dryads. 

Eustace held the door open for them. Issie ran in first, her voice drawing all attention. “Chiron! Daddy! Come meet Anci!” 

Issie dragged a rather chubby man over by the arm. Her excitement was through the roof, but Eustace, who stood a little ways behind Anci, seemed to tense. Anci glanced at him, not helping the wave of nervousness that came over herself. She took a deep breath and turned back to Issie and her victim. She smiled. 

“Hello,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Anci.” 

The man scoffed at her, rolling his eyes. “Oh, great,” he muttered. “ _ Another _ hero.” 

Anci dropped her hand, and the silence drew out longer than anyone would have liked. Luckily, another pair of footsteps joined them. Except, it wasn’t a pair. 

The newcomer wasn’t the strangest person Anci had met, but he wasn’t the most normal either. From the waist up, he was an average, middle-aged man with charming brown eyes bordered with lines of wisdom and old age. He had an easy smile and a scruffy beard. His bottom-half was one of a white stallion, fur neatly trimmed and groomed. 

“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood,” he said. He nodded a greeting to Issie and Eustace. “Isabel, Eustace; hello.” 

“Hello!” Issie replied. 

“And you must be Anci,” he said, shaking her hand. “I’m Chiron, the activities director here.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Anci said, nodding. She remembered now. Chiron was a centaur in the myths. He was supposed to be the “wisest and justest.” 

Anci glanced back at the other man. If that was Chiron, than this must be the infamous Mr. D. Dionysus. A god. 

He donned a leopard-spot Hawaiian shirt, which was unbuttoned at the top. His eyes were purple, and so was his hair when it hit the light just right. He seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face. 

“What are you looking at?” he said. 

“Nothing.” Anci cleared her throat. “I just didn’t expect this.” 

Dionysus narrowed his eyes, but Anci wasn’t done yet. She laughed as she continued. “It’s just that Issie said that you liked to be called Mr. D because you think it makes you look cool, so I wasn’t expecting you to be wearing animal print and gym shorts.” Anci paused, thinking for a moment before adding “sir” to the end. 

Anci didn’t need to look to know that Eustace had hid his face in his hands, his cheeks flaming. She smiled, ducking her head down to her shoulders at Dionysus’s reaction. He looked like he was about to explode, but Issie’s sharp giggle seemed to stop him. He settled for crossing his arms. 

“Is that so?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

If Dionysus was surprised that she didn’t fall into submission, he didn’t show it. He pursed his lip. “Issie,” he said. 

“What?” 

“What is it that Pollux and Castor say when they fail cabin inspection?” 

“I don’t care, Daddy.” 

Dionysus looked at Anci. “I don’t care.” 

Issie howled with laughter, and even Eustace had to crack a grin. Chiron, also chuckling, gave Dionysus a pat on the back. The laughter still hadn’t left his voice when he spoke. 

“Eustace, would you go to the Hermes Cabin and tell them to prepare for Anci?” he said. “Thank you. And Anci, if you’d come with me.” 

Anci followed Chiron into another room, where a small retro TV sat on a table. She blinked and sat on the couch, eyeing the VHS tape that Chiron put on. Her eyebrows knitted together, and she opened her mouth. “What exactly is this?” she asked. 

Chiron chuckled at her surprise, knocking on the video player with his knuckles. “Our orientation video,” he said. “How old are you?” 

Anci bit down on her lip. Her face went red, and sucked in a breath. “I turned thirteen today,” she whispered. 

“Just in time.” He smiled. “The film is PG-13.” 

Anci half-laughed and half-winced. With all that had happened, she had forgotten about her birthday. She readjusted her backpack on her shoulders and watched the orientation video load up. 

Anci jumped at the loud music that started the whole thing, blinking at the flashing lights. Her eyes barely registered the text that popped up.  _ Camp Half-Blood Orientation Film, featuring Apollo.  _ Apollo’s name took up the whole screen, leaving the title in a corner. Anci choked at the absurdity. 

Then the lights suddenly dimmed, and the music stopped. A lone spotlight was cast down, shining on a person that stood in a dark alleyway. Anci assumed it was Apollo. He cleared his throat, dramatically holding a scroll. 

“Are you a half-blood? 

“Confused and wishing for help. 

“Never fear, ‘cause Apollo’s here!” 

The silence drew out for a second too long, and Apollo frowned. He stared at his scroll. “No, that isn’t right,” he muttered, a pen materializing in his hand. “There’s supposed to be five syllables here. Isn’t there a better word for…” Apollo scrunched up his nose, looking up. “Cut!” he shouted. “Are we still rolling? Hey, stop that!” 

To say that the rest of the film was better would have been a lie. And that was exactly the reason Anci loved it. The musical numbers were obnoxiously loud, and there were a few too many bad poems. The demigods that were interviewed didn’t seem too thrilled, and the game show in the middle was too cheesy. When it was all over, Anci had a hard time believing Apollo was the god of music and poetry. It was too much of a stretch. 

“Any questions?” Chiron asked, his face stoic. 

Anci looked at him, waving her hands around as she struggled to find words. She laughed, leaning forward as she covered her face with her hands. Drawing in a breath, she mumbled to herself. She didn’t really learn much from the video. Only that the Greek myths were real and that it was incredibly dangerous to be a demigod. But she had already gathered all that from Belinda. 

When she finally got her laughter under control, Anci lifted her head and nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “I think I have a few questions.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably had way too much fun writing Dionysus and Apollo. After this, I think they've become a part of my top three favorite gods. Poseidon is number one, but only because I absolutely ADORE the way Rick Riordan portrays him. It's just *chef's kiss*. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter! No promises on when the next will be, but we shall hope that it is within the next month. Love y'all!


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